Burnout gets the headlines… but are your employees rusting out?

Burnout gets the headlines… but are your employees rusting out? In summary:

Rust out is a form of employee disengagement that happens when people feel under-challenged, under-utilised, or disconnected from meaningful work. Unlike burnout, which is caused by excessive pressure and workload, rust out develops when employees experience too little stimulation or opportunity to use their skills.

Over time, this lack of challenge can lead to boredom, reduced motivation, and declining productivity. Employees experiencing rust out may still complete their tasks, but they often feel detached from their work and less invested in organisational goals.

Common signs of rust out include:

• Feeling bored or unchallenged at work
• Having skills that aren’t being fully used
• Performing repetitive tasks with little variety
• Losing motivation or initiative
• Feeling disconnected from the organisation’s goals or purpose

While the term rust out is gaining more attention today, the underlying issue isn’t new. Many employees have quietly experienced this form of disengagement for years – it simply hasn’t received the same level of attention as burnout.

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As something of semi-classic car owner & enthusiast, if someone were to mention ‘rust out’, my immediate thought would be to search for a welder. But in today’s world of work, rust out means something very different… and it’s a problem HR leaders need to be paying attention to.

For the past few years, workplace conversations have been dominated by one word: burnout. And with good reason! Heavy workloads, economic pressure, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have pushed many employees to breaking point. HR teams everywhere are working hard to support wellbeing and prevent exhaustion, but also suffering themselves – as our own report HR Under Pressure discovered.

However, with attention drawn to solving that issue, another has been silently spreading across workforces: rust out. But, what is it? Why is it becoming such a problem? And most importantly, what can be done about it?

What is rust out?

In short, rust out describes a form of workplace disengagement caused by too little meaningful challenge.

Unlike burnout, which comes from too much pressure and workload, rust out happens when employees feel under-challenged, under-utilised, and disconnected from meaningful work. Instead of being overwhelmed by too much work, employees experiencing rust out feel the opposite: bored, underused, and detached from what they’re doing. Both are damaging, but rust out can be harder to detect because it doesn’t always create obvious stress signals.

Of course, it’s worth noting that disengagement at work isn’t a new problem – employees have been quietly disengaging from under-stimulating roles for years… it’s just rarely been recognised or talked about in quite these terms, and it’s far more common than many organisations realise.

For example, according to Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report, only around 23% of employees globally say they feel engaged in their jobs. The rest are either disengaged or quietly detached from their work – exactly the kind of environment where rust out can develop.

And the result of a rusting out workforce? Gradual, ongoing disengagement. Employees may still complete their tasks, but the spark is gone. Curiosity fades, initiative drops, and work starts to feel more like something to endure rather than something to contribute to. If you want to know more about the early signs of disengagement, check this article out.

Why rust out is becoming a bigger workplace issue

Rust out might not be new, but several HR and workplace trends have brought it out from the shadows and made it more visible. One is increasing job specialisation. Many roles have become tightly defined, leaving employees responsible for narrow task sets with limited variety.

Another factor is the shift towards hybrid and remote work. Without regular interaction and collaboration, some employees can become disconnected from the broader purpose of their role. At the same time, expectations around work have changed. Employees today increasingly want:

• Opportunities to grow
• Work that feels meaningful
• A chance to use their skills and strengths

When those needs aren’t met, disengagement can creep in. And, according to Gallup’s global engagement research, only around one in five employees worldwide report feeling engaged at work. That’s a hell of a large proportion of the workforce who may be operating well below their potential…

So, for HR leaders, it’s not just a wellbeing issue – it’s a performance and retention risk.

The signs your employees may be rusting out

Rust out rarely shows up as a dramatic workplace problem. Instead, it tends to reveal itself through subtle behavioural changes. Some common warning signs include:

• Doing the bare minimum
  Employees complete their assigned tasks but rarely go beyond them.
• A drop in curiosity or initiative
  Ideas, suggestions, and proactive problem-solving become less frequent.
• Clock-watching behaviour
  Work becomes something to get through rather than engage with.
• Talented employees feeling underused
  High performers may quietly disengage if they feel their abilities aren’t being used.
• Increased interest in external opportunities
  Employees who feel stuck or unchallenged often begin exploring new roles elsewhere.

These behaviours can sometimes be misinterpreted as laziness or lack of motivation. But in reality, they’re often signs that the role itself isn’t providing enough challenge or purpose.

Why rust out is bad for organisations

At first glance, rust out may seem less damaging than burnout. After all, employees aren’t overwhelmed or absent due to stress. But over time, the impact can be significant. Disengaged employees are less likely to:

• Contribute ideas or innovation
• Collaborate actively with colleagues
• Take ownership of problems
• Invest energy in improving outcomes

In other words, the organisation ends up paying for potential that isn’t being used.

Rust out can also increase turnover risk. When employees feel under-stimulated for long periods, they often start looking for roles where they can learn, grow, and contribute more meaningfully.

For organisations already facing long standing skills shortages, that’s a problem HR teams can’t afford to ignore.

How you can can prevent rust out in your business

The good news is that rust out is often easier to prevent for HR teams than burnout – especially when organisations focus on job design, development, and visibility of talent. Here are some practical ways you can help stop the spread in your organisation…

1. Design roles around strengths

Employees are most engaged when they can use the skills they enjoy and excel at. Regular conversations and performance check-ins about strengths and interests can help managers ensure work is aligned with employees’ capabilities.

2. Make career progression visible

A lack of development opportunities is a common driver of disengagement. Providing clear progression pathways, mentoring, and learning opportunities can help employees see a future within the organisation. This is why many HR teams are investing more in structured learning and development programmes and internal mobility initiatives. You can learn more about them here by downloading our guide.

3. Encourage internal movement

Sometimes, the best way to reignite motivation is simply a change of challenge. Encouraging employees to move between teams, projects, or roles allows organisations to keep talent engaged while developing new skills across the workforce.

4. Give employees more ownership

Autonomy can dramatically improve engagement. When employees have responsibility for solving problems or improving processes, they’re more likely to feel invested in the outcome.

Even small changes – such as involving employees in decision-making or improvement initiatives – can make work feel more meaningful.

5. Use people data to spot disengagement earlier

One of the biggest challenges with rust out is visibility. Because it develops gradually, HR teams may not notice disengagement until it affects performance or retention.

Modern HR systems can help by providing better visibility across the employee lifecycle – from performance management and development to absence patterns and people analytics. And, when HR teams have access to reliable data and insights, it becomes much easier to identify engagement trends and intervene early.

Creating workplaces where people thrive

Burnout may dominate workplace conversations, but rust out highlights an equally important truth about work. Employees don’t just need protection from excessive workload. They also need opportunities to learn, contribute, and grow.

For HR leaders, the challenge is finding the balance. The most successful organisations design roles that stretch people without overwhelming them, provide opportunities to develop new skills, and ensure employees feel their work has real value. When that balance is right, employees don’t burn out, and they certainly don’t rust out. They really do thrive.